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Armored Guard
The Armored Guard ( ) is a type of stage and boss enemy from Strider 2. A secondary defense force located in Fortress Wahnen parallel to the Fortress Guards, the Armored Guards are easily recognized by sporting the appearance of ancient knights from medieval times, no doubt born from Herzog Schlange's "excentricities" and taste for anachronisms. These enemies are clad head to toe in old silver armor with matching red capes, and use melee weapons like axes and daggers. They are seemingly subordinates of The Alchemist, although they are also seen following Schlange's orders after the former's death. Given the nature of the Dullahan, whether these are actually human beings or simply animated suits of armor is currently unknown. Information Armored Guard Appears in Stage 02 (Fortress Wahnen), Scenes 4 and 5. The basic type of Armored Guard, these enemies are the most imposing of the three types, standing upright surrounded with their large, flowing red capes and their huge axes held over their heads. They slowly approach Hiryu when he's in their proximity, and when at the right distance swing their weapon downwards with force. Their attack is slow enough to be easily avoidable, however. In harder difficulties, some of these guards come equipped with a golden shield in front of them, which provides them with an extra limited defense against attacks. Light Armored Guard Appears in Stage 02 (Fortress Wahnen), Scenes 4, 5 and 6. The Light Armored Guard ( )MVP (February 04, 2000). "Strider Hiryu 2" (Japanese). Arcadia (Vol. 2). Pg. 97. is a smaller, more agile variation of Armored Guard. They wield a three-pronged dagger or "Katar" in each hand. Thanks to their lighter suit of armor, these enemies perform quick leaps as they approach Hiryu and then attempt to strike him with a quick punching stab. They usually come in groups of 4 or more, attacking Hiryu from all directions, and usually as support of stronger bosses like the Elite Guard or Aluminium Hydra. There's also a rare, red-colored version that appears at times alongside the common guards. These are identical in behavior but leave red Zenny instead of blue, which is worth more points. Armored Gunner Appears in Stage 02 (Fortress Wahnen), Scenes 4 and 5. The Armored Gunner ( ) is a long-range variant of Armored Guard. These guards are small and rotund, with a rather huge twin-barreled black cannon attached to their backs alongside a small red cape which hangs loose behind them. A stationary enemy, this guard simply shoots two projectiles at Hiryu when he's in front of him. They attack from mid-to-long distance, but their shot is always straight, and can't be aimed. This enemy was originally called Cannon Guard ( ).Capcom (February 22, 2014). Strider Hiryu Visual Chronicle (Japanese). Pg. 41 Elite Guard Boss of Stage 02 (Fortress Wahnen), Scenes 5. The Elite Guard ( ) is the mid-boss faced in the fortress' Inner Ward. This higher-ranking guard wears a black armor and a purple cape, and is always equipped with a shield. As a simple color variation, the Elite Guard acts no different from the regular Armored Guard, and is only stronger because he takes much more hits to kill, though his shield provides a better protection from frontal attacks, which now merely pushes him back. During battle, the Elite Guard is assisted by several Light Armored Guards. Gallery Str2_armored_gunner_concept.png|Armored Gunner concept art References Category:Characters Category:Stage Enemies Category:Bosses